90% of customers won't buy unless you ask!

Published: 23 Dec 2019

Everyone, whether they are in sales or not, understands that selling is about connecting with customers, asking questions, finding out their wants or needs, showing them your products and services and how they meet those needs, and then close the sale by asking for the order. But why do people find the asking for the order bit so difficult.

The answer appears easy - they are afraid of rejection. This may be true but not always the case, some will not want to be seen to be pushy, whilst others may feel it embarrassing, especially when you have spent so much time building connections and relationships, and others may feel it un-necessary as if the customer wants it they will go ahead and order it anyway.

The truth of all this is that it is an emotional response to the close that they struggle with. Sales training on the most part tell sales people to close and give them some closing techniques to use. On the face of it these techniques make sense, they are quite rational, and each sales person in the classroom typically agree's with the rationale, but still don't do it in the field.

A quick list from around our office came up with 66 different closing techniques we have heard and / or seen in use, including things like:

Alternate Close - Would you like it Red or Blue

Assumptive Close - when shall we deliver it for you?

IQ Close - this is the smart choice

1-2-3 Close - closing on the principle of 3

Summary close - Telling them all the things they are going to receive

Yes crescendo - get them saying yes - and keep them saying it

To help the sales people to ask for an order we must tap into the emotional side of their brain, not the rational. We must help them come to terms with "Why" they should ask for the sale first. It is a belief / value that is stopping them, not the capability.

From a psychological stand point the sales person needs to understand that the customer wants to be asked for the order. Over the past 2 months, we have observed and recorded over 300 sales observations and the same principles happens when the customer is not asked. Firstly, the sales person does everything correct, they connect with the customer, explore their needs, demonstrate the solution and even quote the customer, then the sale person stops short of asking. The customer, who has been walked through the process up to this point, is now left to figure out what to do next. On our observations, 90% of the time the customer asks for the quote to be either sent, printed or listed for them to take away and consider. Only 10% of customers took the decision to buy there and then.

Let me make it real, you walk into a fast food restaurant, you stand in line and eventually get to the front of the queue, or you are in a fancy restaurant and the waiter comes and stands by your table. Do you a:) wait for the server to ask you what you would like or b:) start telling them everything you want. Answer is - You wait - as your not sure if they are ready to serve you or still sorting something out from before.

The same is for your customer. They need to be nudged to allow their brain to move from an inquisitive mindset to a decisive one. You need to help them take a decision as they have already made it, they just need someone to say: "What can I order for you"

All the closing techniques in the world are of little use. We are not trying to manipulate people, we are not trying to persuade them, we are not trying to fast talk them into something the neither want or need, we are simply closing the loop for them. If you have done everything right, uncovered their wants, needs and desires, shown them how your products and services meet those needs, demonstrated they can trust you, you are doing the ma dis-service by not asking if they would like to order. Instead, you are going to force them to make an extra trip to come back and order it, or go somewhere else to buy it, either online or with a competitor.

Emotionally - the right thing to do, is to ask for the order. This is the best customer service you can give, if you don't you are forcing the customer to walk away.

To find out more about how to maximise your sales teams performance by converting their inner game as well as learn more about Salecology, contact us today either by phone:

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